Jackson's New Teacher
by Marymel
Summary: Jackson and Greg introduce Nick to Jackson's new teaching assistant.


**Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI.**

**First new CSI of the year, and I'm celebrating with a new story!**

**Once again, I thought of another story with Jackson and his Uncle Nicky. I don't want to write too much of a description - don't want to give too much away - but I hope you enjoy this story! Pretty please read and review!**

Nick had just clocked out when Greg came into the locker room. "Hey," the younger man said. "You just getting off?"

"Yeah," Nick replied. "I just want to head home."

Greg grinned at his best friend. "Why don't you come with me to get Jacks?"

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Come on, Nick! Jacks hasn't seen you in a few days, and you love to hang out with him."

Nick smiled softly. He did love Jackson, and he missed his godson while he was in training at Quantico.

Greg stuck his bottom lip out. "Come on, Nick. Jacks would love to see you."

"All right," Nick said with a sigh. He shook his head and smiled as Greg giggled and they headed to the parking lot.

"You know," Greg said as he drove, "Jacks would love for you to see his preschool."

Nick smiled. "He talked about it all the time when I'd call him from Virginia."

"He loves it. He's made so many friends, and he loves his teachers."

Raising an eyebrow at his best friend, Nick asked, "You're not trying to set me up with his teacher, are you?"

Greg shook his head and laughed. "Now would I do a thing like that?" He turned and laughed at his best friend in the passenger seat. Nick rolled his eyes and smiled.

When they arrived at the preschool, several children were playing on the playground. Nick followed Greg inside, the sound of children's laughter carrying through the halls. Greg and Nick turned down the hall and smiled when they saw Jackson chatting with his teacher and some of his friends.

Jackson smiled widely when he saw his daddy and uncle. "Daddy! Uncle Nicky!" He rushed into Greg's arms.

"Hey, Jacks! Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah! We learn about germs, an' Miss Lisa say we should wash our hands wif soap an' water!"

Greg laughed softly. "You're right."

Jackson smiled when he saw Nick. "Uncle Nicky, you came to my school!"

"Yeah," Nick said with a smile. "Your dad asked if I could come, so I thought I'd surprise you."

Greg grinned at Nick. "Well...I think we've got a surprise for you." Ignoring Nick's confused look, Greg asked Jackson, "Would you like to show Uncle Nicky your classroom?"

"Yeah!" Jackson wriggled out of Greg's arms and took Nick's hand. "Dese are my friends. Dat's Ben an' Gracie an' Avery. Dey like to play cars too!" Nick smiled and said hi to the happy children. Jackson pulled him into the classroom as Greg followed. "Dat's my cubbie over dere. An' I wanna show you my painting."

"All right," Nick said as Jackson pulled him to the art center.

Jackson's teacher smiled at him. "Oh, Uncle Nicky, dis my teacher. Miss Lisa, dis is my Uncle Nicky!"

Nick shook Lisa hand and said hello. "I can tell Jackson loves his school. It's all he talks about sometimes."

"He's a great student," Lisa said with a warm smile. "And he's very kind and helpful."

Greg said hello to Lisa. "Is your assistant still here?" Greg asked.

"Oh, yes. She's right over here. Jackson, would you ask her to come over here for a minute?"

Jackson nodded and went to the young woman cleaning up some toys in a play center. He tugged on her sweater and the young woman smiled at the sweet boy. "Can you come meet my Uncle Nicky?"

The young woman looked at Jackson's uncle and a warm smile crossed her face. Nick's eyes widened when he saw her.

"Cassie?"

Cassie McBride, whom Nick had saved when a group of teens murdered her family, smiled at the CSI. "Hello."

Nick smiled and shook Cassie's hand. "Hello."

Greg smiled and lifted Jackson into his arms. "Yeah, Jacks told me he had a teacher's helper. And I found out it was Cassie when I came by last week to pick him up."

"Mr. Sanders introduced himself, and we started talking," Cassie continued. "I remembered him from the trial...back then."

Nick nodded. "So...you're teaching?"

Cassie shook her head. "Not yet, but I will be. I'm in college, working part time here. And Lisa and everyone here have been so helpful. Plus Jackson and all the children are wonderful."

Nick beamed at the young woman. He remembered her after her rescue, so strong after losing her family. Seeing the beautiful young woman she'd become made Nick smile with love and pride.

"Miss Cassie is nice," Jackson said. "She help me when I fall down on da playground."

"She did?" Nick asked Jackson with a warm smile.

Cassie smiled at the CSI who rescued her and the little boy. "You know what, Jackson? Mr. Stokes helped me when something bad happened to me years ago."

"He did? Did you get a owie?"

Cassie smiled sadly. "Yeah. Mr. Stokes..."

"Please," Nick said. "You can call me Nick."

Cassie smiled at the CSI. "You wouldn't give up on me. You saved me." She smiled at Jackson and Greg. "And your daddy helped, too."

"You did?" Jackson asked his father. Greg nodded. "Wow!"

Cassie laughed softly. "Anyway, my aunt and uncle raised me after that. And now I'm learning to be a teacher."

Nick's smile could rival all the lights of Vegas combined. "That is wonderful. Really, it is great to see you again."

"You too," Cassie said. "And Jackson can't stop talking about you. The other day, he painted a picture of his family and I asked him who all the people were. He pointed out his daddy and mama...and then he showed me his Uncle Nicky and Aunt Sara. He adores you all."

Greg smiled, watching his son and best friend with the young woman he helped save when he first became a CSI. To see the lovely, intelligent and strong woman Cassie became gave them both a sense of pride.

"Yeah," Greg said. "When I found out who Cassie was, I had to tell you." Smiling at the young woman, he said, "It's great to see you doing so well."

Cassie nodded and smiled. "Thank you. And Jackson is a great child. He's always ready to learn something and help someone...just like you."

Greg hugged his son close. "I am so proud of him...and we're proud of Uncle Nicky too."

"He da bestest!" Jackson said. "When he was far 'way, my Aunt Catrin call him an' let me talk to him. He got da hug I sent him!"

Nick smiled at his godson. "Yeah, I went to Quantico for training with the FBI. I missed everyone here...especially this big guy." He playfully mussed Jackson's hair and the little boy giggled.

"Wow," Cassie said. "So you're still with the crime lab?"

"Yeah," Nick said with a nod. "Greg and I are still there. And we've got a great team now."

Cassie smiled and nodded. "That's great." Smiling at Jackson, she said, "I'll bet you like having him back home, huh?"

"Yeah! An' we can go to da park an' play wif Sam!"

"My dog," Nick whispered.

Cassie nodded. "A few weeks ago, the children were asked to paint pictures of their favorite animals. Jackson painted two dogs and a cat, and told me how he loves to play with all of them."

Nick couldn't keep the smile off his face as he watched Cassie with his godson. He remembered the little girl when he came to see her at the hospital after her family was murdered, then visiting with her and her aunt and uncle through the trials of her family's killers. Nick was proud of the young woman Cassie became.

Cassie smiled when she saw Nick watching her and Jackson. "You know," she began, "I don't know why I didn't realize who you were sooner." When Nick narrowed his brow in question, she said, "He talks about his family all the time, especially his Uncle Nicky."

"I told her you're his favorite," Greg said. "You and Sara."

Nick smiled with pride. "Well, thanks. Yeah, when I was away, all I could think about was getting back to work and back to my family here."

"I miss you, Uncle Nicky," Jackson said as he moved to Nick's arms. Nick smiled and hugged his godson.

Cassie smiled. "Mr. Sanders told me..."

"Please," Greg interrupted. "Call me Greg."

Nodding, Cassie continued. "Greg told me that he's a CSI. I told my aunt about him and his adorable son." Cassie smiled at the squirming child in Nick's arms. "My aunt reminded me that there was a CSI Sanders that helped in my case...so I asked Greg about that."

"And I told her that was me, you and Sara," Greg said. "I told her how proud I am of how she's grown up. And now she's helping teach my son." Smiling at Jackson, he asked, "How cool is that?"

"Very cool!" Jackson said. "Miss Cassie say you help her when she got her owie."

Cassie lightly ran her hand across the small scar on her neck where she was cut. "Yeah, Jackson asked about this one day, and I told him I got hurt badly. But I got better and grew up. Just like you're growing and learning every day, Jackson."

"Yeah! I tall, like my daddy!"

Nick hugged Jackson close and smiled at Cassie. All too often, he and Greg saw the worst in their jobs. Seeing Cassie alive and happy and how she loved working with Jackson and other children made Nick feel proud and grateful.

"I didn't know your parents," the Texan told Cassie. "But I think they and your brother would be so proud of you. I'm proud of you."

Cassie smiled. "Thank you...for everything."

Greg smiled at his best friend with the woman he saved. "I've got a good idea. They've got a family day coming up soon. Jacks, you think Uncle Nicky would like to come?"

"Yeah!" Jackson shouted. "I want you to come an' see my friends!"

"How can I say no to that?" Nick asked as he tickled Jackson's ribs. Smiling at Cassie, he said, "And we can bring his Aunt Sara. She helped find you, too."

"Oh, wonderful. I'd love to meet her. And I'm so happy to see you again."

Nick smiled widely. "I'm happy to see you too. This guy's very important to me," he said as he tickled Jackson.

Cassie smiled. "And I'll see you tomorrow, Jackson. And don't forget your painting."

Jackson squirmed out of Nick's arms and rushed to the art center. "Oh, yeah! I painted a picture of a giraffe!"

"You did?" Greg asked. He smiled as Jackson showed him his painting. "That's very good."

Jackson smiled. "An' tomorrow, we gunna talk about more amials!"

Nick and Cassie smiled warmly at the little boy happily chatting with his father. Jackson smiled at his teacher. "Miss Lisa, can I paint another picture tomorrow?"

"Maybe so," the woman said with a smile. "And I'm happy your Uncle is coming to family day."

"Me too!" Jackson said as he hugged Greg and Nick. "I love my family!"

Cassie smiled with love at the man who valiantly fought for her and his great friends. "You have a wonderful family, Jackson."

"Da bestest!" Jackson said with a big smile.

Nick and Cassie smiled at each other. Just before they left, Cassie hugged Nick. "He does have the best uncle."

Happy tears formed in Nick's eyes as he hugged Cassie. When he pulled away, he smiled at Greg and Jackson. "I'm the lucky one."

Greg smiled at his best friend with the young woman he rescued. Jackson saw his daddy watching them. "Daddy, Uncle Nicky is da bestest!"

Nick grinned at his godson. Smiling at Greg as he said goodbye to Cassie and headed to Greg's car, Nick said, "I'm the lucky one."

**The End. **

**And I am toying with the idea of writing a story where Sara meets Cassie. :)**


End file.
